Bush Drops Opposition to Building of Barrier

(Forward) Ori Nir - The Bush administration has abandoned its opposition to Israel's construction of a security fence in the West Bank, according to pro-Israel activists in Washington, Palestinian diplomats, and sources close to the Bush administration. The White House thinks Israel is justified in erecting the fence and that the PA brought the fence on itself by not cracking down on terrorism, administration officials recently told pro-Israel activists. Furthermore, administration officials indicated that the Bush White House accepts the principle that security considerations in some instances necessitate allowing the fence to veer into the West Bank, the activists said. The administration seems open to the creation of an enclave southwest of Ariel to accommodate what Israel says is its need for tactical depth to avert potential surface-to-air missile terrorist attacks against airplanes at Ben-Gurion International Airport.


2003-10-24 00:00:00

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